Territorial and Political Organization in Spain
The Conditions of the Physical Environment
The conditions of the physical environment of the peninsula have resulted in great regional diversity from the point of view of change and soils. Before the industrial revolution, the technical capacity to overcome the natural conditions was low, and the main economic activities were agriculture and livestock. The Mediterranean trilogy (wheat, vineyards, and olive groves) and a major livestock sector organized through the Mesta (Association of Castilian
Read MoreModern Age: Transformations, Economy, and Globalization
Modern Age: From Discovery to Globalization
The Modern Age is the historical period from the end of the Middle Ages until the Contemporary Age, spanning from the discovery of America and the fall of Constantinople until the French Revolution.
Subperiods
- 16th Century: Renaissance
- 17th Century: Baroque
- 18th Century: Absolutism
Main Changes
- End of the Byzantine Empire by the Turks
- Geographical discoveries in Africa, America, and Asia
Portuguese Expeditions (15th Century)
A Portuguese prince named Henry promoted
Read MoreModern State Formation and Authoritarian Monarchy in Spain
Modern State Formation and Authoritarian Monarchy
The reign of the Catholic Monarchs marks the beginning of two significant processes: the construction of a modern state and the establishment of an authoritarian monarchy. Traditional historiography often credits them with creating a unified Spanish state. However, the union under the Catholic Monarchs was primarily a personal and dynastic union of the two crowns.
They pursued a political agenda aimed at achieving greater centralization of power, religious
Read MoreGeologic Time: Dating Techniques and Principles
Chapter 11: Geologic Time
Catastrophism vs. Uniformitarianism
Catastrophism
- Landscape developed by catastrophes (i.e., floods)
- Implies Earth formed over a short period
- Archbishop James Ussher, mid-1600s, concluded Earth was only a few thousand years old
Modern Geology
- Uniformitarianism (Fundamental principle of geology)
- James Hutton, 1700s, proposed the idea in Theory of the Earth
- “The present is the key to the past”
- Biological and physical processes operating today operated in the geologic past
- Implies Earth
Understanding Cardinal Directions and Earth’s Surface
It is essential to know orientation in space and time. Not only is it enough to know where we want to go, but it is also necessary to correctly locate the place on a globe, map, or plan. To teach a child to be oriented on the ground, we must have a thorough knowledge of these concepts.
Cardinal Directions
North and South exist because they are the ends of the imaginary axis of the Earth. The East and West exist because the Earth rotates from west to east.
Points or Directions of the Compass
When we
Read MoreUnderstanding Political Systems: Conservatism, Republics, and Power Structures
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political doctrine that emphasizes the value of traditional institutions and practices. This means that some political parties prefer to maintain and preserve what comes from the past, as they often view rapid change as potentially negative.
Republic
A republic is a country where the head of state is an elected president who changes periodically through elections. This is mainly a representative post. The president represents the country in public ceremonies, official
Read More